Trade shows can be very expensive.

You have the booth. Travel costs. Hotels that are not cheap. Shipping everything there and back. Staff time. Meals. Maybe sponsorships. Maybe signage. Shall I go on?

It all adds up quickly and I know that my hardworking, multiple-hat-wearing, small-business superhero readers want to make the most of their investments.

That’s why today we’re going to talk about trade shows. The simple answer is do more than show up, stand in a booth, collect a few leads, and head home. Get that PR person on the floor.

Trade shows are more than a sales event; they are a rare place where customers, prospects, media contacts, analysts, partners, influencers, and industry peers gather in the same place.

In just a few days, you can have conversations that might otherwise take months to arrange. You can listen, learn, make introductions, spot opportunities, and build the kind of real-life connections that are hard to create from behind a computer screen.

Sales teams belong in the booth, doing their sales thing: meeting prospects, demonstrating products, answering questions, collecting leads, and of course closing deals, because they’re awesome.

But what about the PR person? They are hustling. On the show floor.

A PR person at a trade show should be moving around, meeting people, spotting opportunities, and getting attention for their business.

This means:

💫 Pro Tip: If you have secured a speaking engagement for yourself, your boss, or a client, make sure they are well supported. Of course, the speech should be well practiced, but practical details matter too, such as ensuring their on-stage outfit is comfortable, stylish, and not distracting. Honey-lemon tea and plenty of water can also help them sound their best.

Setting up a meeting with a journalist at a trade show can be very hard.

There are hundreds, if not thousands of business competing for the attention of the same reporters. Meanwhile, a journalist only has so much time.

That means this pitch probably won’t work:

Give a real reason to care. That means reach out if you have: a meaningful announcement, customer or industry data, a timely point of view on a trend affecting their readers, an executive who can offer informed, helpful commentary.

That said, don’t skip the effort if you have something newsworthy for a journalist. Just plan early, research well, and make the meeting easy for them.

By the way, they start scheduling their meetings 30–60 days ahead of time. So do your thoughtful, well-researched pitching then.

Often, the show organizers of the show will have different resources and tools available. You just need to ask.

Also check the event website for a “Call for Speakers” page. These opportunities are often organized far in advance, sometimes six to nine months ahead. If speaking is part of your plan, you may need to start researching earlier than you think.

I personally love a speaking opportunity or panel appearance for a business owner who is comfortable on stage and truly knows their subject. It gives you credibility, visibility, useful content, and introductions to potential customers

If you sponsor something, can it include a speaking opportunity? If someone from your team gives a presentation, can you turn it into a blog post, a video, social clips, a newsletter feature, or a media pitch? If you meet an interesting customer, could that become a case study, testimonial, or story later?

A trade show is not just an event. It is a content opportunity, a relationship opportunity, a research opportunity, and a visibility opportunity. Packaged all nicely in a few busy days. Now go get them!

Do this now:

Do you have a trade show coming up? Here’s a pre-show plan for you.

Learn from others.

Forbes Editor Fired After Undisclosed $6 Million Dollar Payment

“Chief Content Officer Randall Lane was booted after getting paid by one RJ Shook of Shook Research, which collaborates with Forbes to create rankings of wealth advisors, the New York Times reported Wednesday.”

Lane reportedly described the payment as a “gift” connected to advice he had given Shook over the years. He acknowledged that not disclosing it was “a serious error in judgment.”

This is a good reminder for business owners: be clear about what you are buying.

If you pay to be featured, listed, recognized, or included in a “best of” program, it is not earned media even though it may still be a legitimate advertising, sponsorship, or paid-listing opportunity.

Earned media is coverage or recognition you did not pay for. It is based on a journalist’s editorial decision, an independent selection process, a credible award process, or a real newsworthy story.

That distinction matters. I have had this conversation with financial advisers before, especially around awards and rankings. Before putting any award badge on your website, sharing it in a newsletter, or promoting it on social media, ask a few questions:

The undisclosed relationship raises the exact kind of credibility question that brands, publications, and PR professionals should work hard to avoid.

Journalism is already under pressure to maintain public trust. Transparency matters. Disclosure matters. And when money changes hands behind the scenes, people naturally question whether an award, ranking, or story was truly earned.

✍️ Key PR Takeaway: Don’t confuse a true award with a bought one. If you have to pay for an award, ranking, listing, or profile, treat it as advertising or sponsorship. Not public relations coverage.

Useful PR Resources.

For use with your AI agent, like Claude, these 30+ open-source skills turn it into a full PR team.

What can it do? (A very simple listing of the crazy cool things it can do)

I’m working on testing this new tool out and I’ll let you know what I find. In the meantime give Elvis Sun a follow. I like how he is very transparent about his work and is looking for solutions that so many people need.

Kina, the 2 ½ Shiba Inu, always needs to be the center of attention. Sitting on the counter at this family-owned jewelry store, Valle Jewelers, Kina demands all customers show her due respect or at least acknowledge her rightful place in the store – on the counter for everyone to admire while they shop for jewelry. She earned her nickname “bark-erina” because, when she wants attention she throws her head back like an opera singer and really lets it rip. Of course, once placed on the counter, she is quiet as a mouse. Okay, Kina you have our full attention.

Go visit Kina if your’re in Central Florida. Also, send me your favorite fluffy attention seeker I can feature.

Hope you’re surviving this summer heat. I’ve just about melted. Nothing a little AC wont fix.

Until next week, keep your shades on and stay cool.

Your fellow Seeker,
Keren

🕶️

The DTC beauty category is crowded. To break through, Jennifer Aniston’s brand LolaVie, worked with Roku Ads Manager to easily set up, test, and optimize CTV ad creatives. The campaign helped drive a big lift in sales and customer growth, helping LolaVie break through in the crowded beauty category.

Learn more